Real Schmoo vs. Fake Schmoo...
By Jabber



This message is going to most of the males I've got a chance to meet at 
WSE '98, and a couple of the females, too.  If I've omitted someone, 
either I've plum forgot (please forgive me) or more likely, do not have 
their email address handy.  Feel free to forward this on to possibly an 
'omitted' folk if you like (most notably, PJ (couldn't find his email 
address)). 

I've actually felt compelled to write this based upon a thought-
provoking comment I read from Dragon, who had his first session at the 
WSE '98.  He said (paraphrasing a bit), that meeting Tom9 and myself, he 
realized that it is 'okay' to be a schmoo and really like and admire 
muscular women. Well, first off, thanks, Dragon, for the honorable 
mention. :-) 

I've known for quite some time, okay or not, acceptable or not, that 
admiring muscular women, for me, wasn't a choice, but a necessity, if 
you will (not unlike the proclivity toward hetero or homosexuality - 
which I don't believe can be changed upon a whim).  Don't worry, this 
discussion won't get too heavy here. :-) 

Point is, schmoo is generally considered a derogatory term by most in 
the industry.  And if not by the femuscle admirers, by some if not many 
of the fbb's themselves, the very folks we show admiration for.  What's 
quite ironic is that I guess one of the negatives associated with being 
a schmoo is being inconsiderate and treating the women as objects 
(regardless of if the objectification is greatly different than the type 
of objectification that the 'masses' subscribe to - you know, the male 
'pigs' if you will :-) ). 

Well, without question just about all I've met seemed to hold women in 
the highest esteem, and not seem derogatory or disrespectful to the 
women in the least.  Many of you folks seemed quite polished and cool, 
if you will, very unlike the stereotype that may exist for being a 
schmoo.  The amount of consideration and, yes, unbridled enthusiasm, 
that I've seen firsthand, shown toward these women should definitely NOT 
be viewed as a source of shame, but rather, as something to be proud of.  

I've talked to a 'lot' of folks this past weekend, and I think there was 
nary a crass comment uttered (and if so, it was probably from me - LOL). 
Seriously, take a non-femuscle admiring group as large as us (I'm 
talking to the males here now, sorry), and parade in front of them 
Playboy Centerfold types, porn queens, topless dancers, female lawyers 
in high heels and business suits with skirts, female doctors in scrubs, 
other professional females in "respectable" professions (I personally 
feel all females are "respectable" unless proven otherwise no matter 
WHAT profession they're in), school teachers, and possibly simply have 
them drive by a high school where female students are hanging around 
outside, and I do believe you'd hear a lot more crass comments and less 
respect than what I've witnessed this past weekend. 

What I'm trying to say (among other things) is that if who I've met this 
past weekend is any indication of what most 'schmoos' are like (and it 
hasn't contradicted what I've seen in others I'd met previously), it's 
far from something to be ashamed of and more akin to something to be 
proud of. 

On the more humorous side, I'll mention one gentleman (but not by name 
here) that definitely looked the part of being a schmoo.  Most of you, 
if you've been to shows, would recognize him, as he's at all the 
National level shows.  I witnessed, either Saturday or Sunday night, a 
spectacle that went down in the annals of 'schmoo'dom:  In the Hotel 
Oritani's lobby (where -jabber and other folks spent many hours shooting 
the breeze), I witnessed this gentleman, along with another schmoo (who 
unfortunately I did witness firsthand a bit of a disrespectful gesture 
from) talking.  For whatever reason, this gentleman had on a vest.  
After taking off his camera equipment, and his vest, he was wearing an 
Amelia Hernandez T-shirt.  After taking off his Amelia Hernandez T-
shirt, underneath, it was revealed he was wearing a 'The Valkyries' T-
shirt!  

Now that's a true schmoo!  One who wears not one but two Amazon T-shirts 
at once!  But I'd noticed many folks ignoring him.  Unfortunately, I'm 
sure he's used to that (sorry for jumping to conclusions).  Although I'd 
talked with him at the Jan Tana before, I'm not sure if he felt 
comfortable talking to me again, as I seemed to be one of the popular 
folks again (LOL - but true...).  I made it a point of re-introducing 
myself to him and treating him like a human being.  After all, I've 
probably seen him around more often than I have some of my ex-
girlfriends - ha!  

Open invitation to fbb's everywhere:  "Give schmoos a chance!"  
Especially the cool ones... :-)  Loyal, supportive, appreciative, good 
sense of humor, etc., you know, all those traits women "say" are 
important... :-) 

-jabber